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The mechanics of dark matter halo formation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 December 2003

C. M. Boily
Affiliation:
Observatoire Astronomique, 11 rue de l'Université, 67000 Strasbourg, France
T. Tsuchiya
Affiliation:
Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Mönchhofstrasse 12-14, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany and SGI Japan Ltd., 668-3, Moto-zaimoku-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto 612-8043, Japan
R. Spurzem
Affiliation:
Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Mönchhofstrasse 12-14, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Abstract

We study the survival of sub-structures (clumps) within larger self-gravitating galaxies or dark matter halos. Building on scaling relations obtained from N-body calculations of violent relaxation, we arguethat the tidal field of galaxies and halos canonly destroy sub-structures if spherical symmetry is imposed at formation.Unless the larger halo is built up from a few large clumps, we find that clump-clump encounters are unlikely to homogenise the halo on a dynamical timescale.Phase-mixing would proceed faster in the inner parts and allow for the secular evolution of a stellar disc.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2003

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